Lamp socket for snap fastener engagement with an apertured support



Dec. 29, 1953 W H CHURCHILL 2,664,549

LAMP SOCKET FOR SNAP FASTENER ENGAGEMENT WITH AN APERTURED SUPPORT FiledADIil l5, 1950 b 22 FIG.8. |0.

hmmmuml` at la 24a E mvENToR: WlLMER H. CHuRcHlLL,

BYPW JOM ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 29, 1953' LAMPk SOCKET., ,FOR SNAP FASTENER .15N-

GAGEMENT WITH AN APE-BTUED U11 PORT yWilmer H. Churchill, Wellesley.Mass., assigner to United-arr Fastener Corporation, Canis bridge. Mass.,a corporation of Massachusetts Application April 13, 1950, Serial No,155,676

, 1 Claim.

This invention relates to lamp sockets of the general type described andclaimed in the .applis cation of `Forbes Howard. Serial No. 155,737,filed April 13, 1950, and aims generally to improve and simplify thistype of socket for various uses.

A primary object of the invention is the provision of a two-.partelectric lamp socket of sim-V ple and economical construction havingimproved snap fastener engagement vwith an apertured support. y l

A further object of the invention is the pro vision of an improvedarrangement of socket and socket attaching means adapted for ready en-,sagement with support apertures of varying sizes.

Another and more specific object of the in f ryention lis the provisionof ,a lamp socket assemf bly of the type referred to above havingimproved and simplified means `for securing the supportE engaging snap`fastener means to a sockety member and for varying the 'bendingmovement and thus the stiffness of the resilient `snap fastener arms toobtain an improved snap fastener action for some uses.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be`apparent to persons skilled in the art from a consideration of theaccompanying drawing and annexed specication illustrating and describinga preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings- Y Fig. l is a side elevational view of a lamp socketembodying the invention engaged with an apertured support, the latterbeing shown in section; Fig. 2 is -a top plan view of the lamp socket;

Fig. `3 is .an end View of the lamp socket;

Fig. 4 isa vertical cross-sectional view of the .lamp lsocket taken onthe line llI--4 of Fig. 3

Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the lamp .socketvtaken onthe line .5f-.5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the lamp socket taken onthe line 6 6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 'l is a perspective view of the spring frame;

Fig. 8 is a side view of the spring frame; and

Fig. 9 is an end view of the spring frame.

The improved lamp socket of the invention, designated generally by thenumeral I, is adapted for snap fastener engagement with a support 2having an aperture 3. The support 2 may be a metal panel such as theinstrument panel of an automobile or the like or alternatively may be anapertured support intended for other similar uses. The aperture 3 ispreferably circular to facilitate application of the socket to a supportbut may also be rectangular, square and the 2 like, with rounded endsfor engagement with` the spring lingers hereinafter described.

The socket I comprises a body portion Q which is generally elliptical incrossfsectiona'l shape, .and provided with an open end 5 for thereception of a lamp base. Pressed-out keyways or slots 5 are provided inthe body portion .4 for .engager ment with pins or project-ions on thelamp. base to lock it in assembled position with the socket.

At its open end the body portion 4 is provided with an outwardlyextending hanged base por,- tion I adapted for pressure engagement withan apertured support '2 `to seal the soiket as entry of dust. f desired,a suitable gasket ma?! ibe interposed between :the Qarlged bassi,Portion 'l and support 2 to increase the efftiilenes .of the seal. i

The body portion .4 comprises a central tubolar portion B of a diameterto. snugly receive le base of a lamp and having .oopositoly dislongitudinal prsssedfoutoortions 9 commun ting therewith and deiini-nesubstantially re gularly shaped grooves or channels I0 for the re.\

.caption of the arms of a spring frame Iga nere` maf/ter described. YAswill he apparent from Friss- 3 and 45, this construction proyioes a bodyvon tion 4 hal/'ing DDDQSUSly .CSDQSQQ ,@Illlfl faces zli and I2 whioh,connect with the sides 1,3 and I4 .of the presssofout portions 9 to thecentral :tubular portion 8 and the Gommlmioatf ing grooves or ohannelsl.

:Opposite its .onen ond the body portion 4 is Pro.- -vided with aninwardly extend-ins Hansen en@ portion I5 ha ng an aperture i5 for the:Passage of suitable ne conneotiops.. Adiruor-1f the ends thereof thepressed-ou portions 9 .are preferably curved or bevellel :inwardly tothe and portion 1.5 as :shown at I l..

The .spring frame i9@ `Compris@ .a ,ontstane -tially ,U-.shaoed memberpreferably .formed of resilient sheet material such as spring metal andhaving lateral spring arms I8 and a connecting bight or base portion I9.The base portion I9 is preferably substantially circular or disc-like inshape to fit within the body portion 4 against the end I5 thereof and isprovided with an aperture 20 for the passage of suitable wiringconnections. If desired, the aperture 20 may be formed by curling theinner edges of the base portion I9 inwardly and around to provide acollar or ferrule ISH.

The spring arms I8 extend laterally outwardly from the base portion I9into and through the grooves or channels I0 and are provided at theirterminal ends with support-engaging prongs or fingers 2| which projectbeyond the open end of 3 the casing'. The prongs 2| may be formed withdiverging, converging portions 22 and 23 which are preferabliy somewhatwider than the spring arms I8 and convexly curved on the arc of a circlefor snap fastener engagement with the aperture of a support.

The spring arms I8 may be substantially straight and are preferablyflared outwardly adjacent the ends thereof as shown at 24 for moreeffective snap fastener action and movement. The arms I8 arefreelymovable inwardly in the grooves I8 and are normally urged outwardly bythe resiliency of the metal of which they are formed. However, when theprongs 2I are moved inwardly toward each other, as by pressureengagement with the edge of a support aperture, the arms I8 are bentinwardly, the natural resiliency of the metal resisting such movement togive the desired snap action. Intermediate the ends thereof the arms I8are bowed or bent outwardly as shown at 24a for cooperation with novelattaching and securing means hereinafter described.

In accordance with the invention the side walls I3 and I4 of thepressed-out portions 9 are pressed inwardly or indented as shown at 25to form inwardly extending indentatons, projections or knobs 26positioned inwardly of the spring arms I8 at the bowed-out portions 24aand in abutting relation therewith. These serve as attaching or'securing means to secure the spring frame Il)a in assembled relationwith the socket, thus eliminating the need for attaching rivets, flangesand the like, and simultaneously serves as a fulcrum shifting devicewhereby the fulcrum about which the spring arms bend may be shifted fromthe ends of the arms to any desired intermediate portions thereof. Byvirtue of this arrangement the bending moment and thus the degree ofstiffness or resiliency of the spring arms I8 may be varied to suitindividualV needs or conditions, thereby adapting the device to agreater variety of uses.

For most purposes the projections 26 may be positioned substantially asshown in the draw- ;ing. This provides a lighter, more resilient ac-'tion than that obtainedwith the usual ringvmounted resilientsupport-engaging prongs and a somewhat stiffer action from that obtainedwith the same type of device when the fulcrum is located adjacent theends of the arms. It also provides ample tolerance take-up so that thedevice may be used with apertured supports in which the apertures arenon-uniform in size.

However, it is contemplated that the projections or indentations 26 maybe positioned at any desired location intermediate the ends of thespring arms I8 to obtain the required type of ac'- tion in accordancewith specic applications.

The invention thus provides a two-part lamp socket assembly of simpleand economical coristruction designed to provideY the proper degree ofresiliency of the snap fastener action.

While I have illustrated and described a preierred embodiment of theinvention, I do not intend to be limited to the specific details thereofas the scope of the invention is best defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

The lamp socket assembly comprising a body member formed from sheetmetal and having a tubular portion and outwardly pressed oppositelydisposed groove-forming portions, radially outwardly extending supportengaging portions at one end of said tubular portion and a radiallynwardly extending flange at the other end of said tubular portion, saidgroove-forming portions providing opposed grooves extending axially ofsaid tubular portion, said grooves having side walls extending radiallyoutwardly from the tubular portion and bottom walls displaced radiallyoutwardly from the walls of such tubular portion, said grooves beingopen at said one end of said tubular portion and closed at said otherend,

a U-shaped member having spring arms and a connected bight portiondisposed in said body member with the spring arms positioned in saidgroove forming portions and the bight portion positioned against theflange at said other end. intermediate portions of said spring armsbeing bowed outwardly and disposed adjacent to said bottom walls of saidgrooves, intermediate portions of the opposed side walls of said groovesbeing indented to provide opposed projections extending toward eachother and disposed radially inwardly of the intermediate portions ofsaid spring arms, said projections serving as attaching means inco-operation with said intermediate portions of said spring arms tosecure said spring member to said body member and as fulcrum means forsaid spring arms, the free ends of said spring arms extending beyondsaid one end of said body member and including means for snap fastenerengagement with an apertured A panel to secure the socket assemblyagainstsaid References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS Number Name Date 570,669 Lapworth Nov. 3, 1896 861,692 AndersonJuly 30, 1907 1,842,025 Huebner Jan. 19, 1932 1,881,811 Mead Oct. 11,1932 2,182,998 Upton Dec. 12, 1939 2,208,437 Stearns July 16, 19402,531,911 Johnson Nov. 28, 1950

